Handcuff



G. W. PRATT May 3, 1932.

HANDCUFF Filed NOV. 11, 1929 INVENTOR. i (W? 6 m;

Jkwmm ATTORNEY Patented May 3, 1932 j -UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE GEORGE W. PRATT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA HANDCUFF Application filed November 11, 1929. Serial No. 406,337.

This invention is for an improvement in Fig. 1 is a section taken on line 11 of handcuffs, and isparticularly directed to a Fig. 2; pair of handcuffs having a rigid spacer bar Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of or stock, one of the cuffs being collapsible Fig. l,except three members of the retractile 51 and foldable within shield members which cuff which are shown in full line; form a handle for use of the other cuff as a Fig. 3 is a detail view of the retractile cuif nipper. I locking mechanism;

The main object of the invention is to pro- Fig. 4: is a fragmentary sectional view to vide a, pair f handcuff which may readily indicate the relation of the retractile cuff to 1 be converted into a nipper. the pawl plunger rod; to

Another object of the invention is to pro- Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the invention,

vide a pair of individually adjustable cufi's showing the retractile cufi folded within the having a rigid spacer bar or stock and comshields; prising a ipper cuff and a, retractile cuff, Fig. 6 1S ZL VIGW Of the COOPQIZLlSlIlg unlockthe nipper cuff being positively locked by the 111g recesses in registry adapted to receive the ca retractile cuff, except when said retractile end of the pawl plunger rod. cuff is full retracted. Similar reference characters are used to Other 0 jects and advantages of the indesignate similar parts throughout the sevvention will become apparent as the followeral views.

ing description is read on the drawings form- The stoclr consists of a cylindrical portion 7:: ing a part of this specification. 1 terminating at one end in a pair of oppo- The invention consists primarily of a rigid sltely extending shields 29 and 30 which stock having formed integrally, at one end, fOPII} a nipper handle 33, the opposite end outwardly extending shields forming a liancontinuing into an enlarged portion 58 from 25 fil nd at th other nd, a bifur at d ff one side of which extends an integral bifur- :5 member, to which is pivotally connected a cated arcuate cuff member 25, to the end of complementary cuff member provided with which is pivotally connected 2. complementeeth on the periphery opposite the pivotal tary cuff member 22, forming a nipper cuff. connection. A spring actuated plunger The enlarged portion 53 has a slot 54 formed pawl is slidably mounted in a counterbore therein to receive the ratchet section 26 of 8a in the stock and engages the teeth on the com- Cuff em r 22- AI} elongated slot 27 1S plementary cuff member. A rod, integral formed in the cylindrical section 10 in regiswith the pawl extends through a bore try with a central longitudinal bore 11 exthrough the stock and cooperates with the l g t g e SEOCk, and WhlCh terperiphery'of cooperating ears on the retrac- Inmates 1n pp Counterbores 85 tile cuff, which are provided with radially The complementary cufi member 2 P disposed semi-cylindrical recesses on the co- 0tany Connected E member as lndlcated operating faces adapted to register and form f 5 t g a1 liatchet g; the 19 1' a cylindrical aperture for reception of the i Mary 0 W110 1S Ormec to a m 1118 Wltl pivot 24 as a center and has ratchet teeth 21 end of the rod when the cuff 1s ietracted, the f d 1 retractile cuff comprising a quadral element Olme m he penp ery Opposed to Opemng movement of the cuff member 22. pivotally mounted within the shields and A plunger pawl 18 is Slidably mounted in having cooperating locking members on the the counterbore 19 and is urged into coop- 4 sectlons PP the connectlon Plvot, two erative relation to ratchet 26 by means of 95 Sectlons belng plvotedtogether at eflch S 1de a spring 13 housed in counterbore 12, and of the p V 0t -1 CO e Bach P belng is provided with complementary teeth 20 foldable wlthin a shleld- I adapted to cooperate with teeth 21 in ratchet The invention is adequately illustrated in 26. Integral-with or fixed to pawl 18 is a the accompanying drawings in which: plunger 52 extending through the bore 11 and 0 having a pin 28 transversely secured therein and extending outwardly through slot 27 forming a finger release for pawl 18.

The retractile cuif 31 comprises a quadral element consisting of two main arcuate cuff members 34 and 35 pivotally connected together at one end, and to the stock through the side walls of the shield 33 in registry with plunger 52, these members having complementary ears of cylindrical form provided with semi-cylindrical recesses 41 and 42 radially disposed in the cooperating faces, which are adapted to register when these members are folded within theshields 22 and and receive the end of plunger 52. Pivotally securedtothe opposite end of member 34 as at 38 an arcuately formed ratchet member 36 provided with standard gear teeth =5O formed in the periphery of an extension 49 which isformed to a radius with pivot'40 as a center when the cuffis closed.

Pivotally secured to the opposite end of member as at 39 is an arcuately formed locking member 37 having an enlargement 43 in which is formed a housing44 through Which ratchet 49 is adapted to pass and in which a toothed wheel 45 is rotatably mounted on a pin 46. A spring actuated pawl 47 is pivoted within 'the' housing 48 in such manner as to prevent rotation of wheel 45 when an attempt 'i's inade' to withdraw ratchet 49, but permitting rotation of the wheel when the ratchet 49 is forced inwardly to closing position. A key hole 5 1; permits the'use of a key for movingpawl47 out of engagement with. wheel 45; whereby the cuff may be opened.

.7 e operation of the cuff is as follows:

'ith both cuffs in closed position as indi cated iin Ei'g. 2, pawl 18 cannot be moved out of engagement with ratchet 26, as the plunger 52*ispreventedfrom moving upwardly by the ea rs on 'members 34 and 35. By lifting pawl 47 by ineans of a key operating through keyiholeii l, ratchet member 49 may be withdrawn from "housing 44 andthe cuff folded withinshields 29 and 30 as indicated by dotted linesfin Fig. 2. In this position, the reting; withdrawal of ratchet 26 from the slot of tlie' advantages thereof.

essesii and '42 are in registry, forming a cylindrical f apierture as shown in Fig. 6, m ,h ljl ailjel tlil i is in registry with the end of pl ger 152,1wliich may then be drawn upof pin 28, releasing pawl18 from, engagement with ratchet 26 andpermit 'Havingz; described an operative method of constructingsand operating the invention, it will 'z-beannderstood that variations in cone struct'ionaandarrangement of parts which are consistent-withthe appended claims may be resortedtowithout detracting from the spirit orscope ofth'e' invention, or sacrificing any I claim:

1. A pair of handcuffs comprising a centrally'bored stock having a cuff secured to each of its respective ends, one cuff comprising a quadral element, two of the sections thereof being pivotally related to each other by an overlapped joint and to the stock, the inner face of the respective overlapshaving radial grooves therein for registration with the bore, a spring actuated rod within the bore for" entering the grooves when in registration with the bore, a toothed dog carried by the opposite end of the rod, the other of the bore for entering the grooves when inregistration with the bore, a toothed dog carried bythe opposite end of the rod, the other of the cuffsbeing composed of a bifurcated arcuate section and a complementary arcuate section'pivotally related to the first named section, the last named section being provided with teeth on the outer peripheralface thereof for engageemnt with the dog and means for moving the rod longitudinallyof the slot against the action of the spring.

3. A pair of handcuffs comprisinga centrally boredstock having a longitudinal slot in the wall thereof and communicating with the here, one of thecufls being composed of a plurality of pivotally connected sections, two of the sections being pivot'ally related to each other and to the stock by an overlapped joint,the, inner face of the overlap "having semicircular radial grooves therein for registration with each other and the bore, a spring actuated'rod withinthe bore for cooperation with the grooves,a,stud carried by the rod and extending through the slot, said bore terminating in a housing at one of its ends, a toothed dog supported within thelhousing, a cuff composed of a bifurcated arcuate" member carriedby, thelast named end-of the stock, an arcuate member pivotally related to the bifurcated member, said arcuate member having teeth on its outer peripheral edge for en gagement with the teeth of the dog and means for disengaging the teeth of the dog with, the teeth of the arcuate memberl my 4. A pair of handcuffs comprising a rigid stock, a retractile cuff pivotally jointed thereto, a spring operated plunger pawl and a plunger extending through said stock, the

end of said plunger being adapted to cooperate with complementary recesses formed in the contacting faces of the pivotal joint of said retractile cuff when said cufi? is folded down within a shield.

5. A pair of handcuffs consisting of a nipper cuff, a retractile cufi having a pivotal joint, a rigid stock having a central bore and a counterhore, a spring actuated plunger pawl having an integral rod extending through said bore, said retractile cuff having semicylindrical recesses radially formed in the contacting faces of the pivotal joint thereof and so disposed as to be in registry forming a cylindrical aperture registering with said rod when said cufi is in full retracted position.

6. In combination a pair of handcuffs, a rigid stock having an axial aperture and a rod extending through said aperture, a shield formed at one end of said stock, one of said cufi's having a common pivotal connection within said shield; complementary semi-cylindrical recesses formed in the contacting faces of said connection and radially disposed, and adapted to register to form a cylindrical aperture in registry with said rod when said cufl' is retracted within said shield.

7. A pair of handcuffs consisting of a nipper cuff, a retractile cufl? and a shield therefor, a rigid stock and a plunger extending axially therethrough said retractile cufl having a unitary pivotal connection to said stock within said shield, said connection having complementary radial recesses adapted to form a cylindrical aperture in registry with said plunger when said cufl' is retracted with in said shield.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

GEORGE W. PRATT. 

